Tag Archives: Bloody Sunday

Thirty eight years ago Irish people were marching when British soldiers began firing and when the day was over, 14 Irish citizens were dead in the city of Derry. A senior judge issued a report on Tuesday in which he concluded the murder of the marchers was “unjustified and unjustifiable.” Within hours, Prime Minister David Cameron issued the first apology by a member of the British government. Cameron told Parliament, “what happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable.” and that all who died were innocent. None of those murdered were armed with firearms an no warning was given by soldiers before firing. He stated bluntly that soldiers were guilty of “losing their self control.” The Sayville inquiry claimed “many of those soldiers(who testified) have knowingly put forward false accounts in order to justify their firing.”

It remains unclear if any who participated in the massacre will be prosecuted. Soldiers who testified were granted immunity, but anyone who lied could be prosecuted for perjury. As far as this reporter knows, the nation of Great Britain has not collapsed because its government admitted mistakes. President Obama continues to avoid an inquiry into the invasion of Iraq which resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 Americans on grounds it would be divisive. Prime Minister Cameron apologized to his nation and to relatives of those who were murdered. Certainly, parents and wives of those who died in Iraq are entitled to a similar apology.